10 Signs Our Kids' Video Games Are Nothing Like the Old Days

We could go back and forth for hours about whether kids these days have it better or worse than we did. But when it comes to video games, there's no use arguing. Do you really want to go back to the days when a video game was really just a bunch of text commands? I sort of like having real pictures!

So, the next time your kiddo is whining about how hard they have it, maybe a little trip down memory lane gaming-style is in order? Take a look:

Advertisement

Then: Jumping around with the controller was just a way to goof off (and sometimes annoy your fellow game-playing sibling).

Now: Jumping around with the controller is actually part of the game.

Then: We had to convince our parents to let us have a friend over to play a game against them.

Now: They can play against anyone in the entire world without ever leaving the house.

Then: Your Mom would yell at you for sitting too close to the TV because the controller cord was so short.

Now: Two words: wireless controllers.

Then: We paused the game and hoped Mom didn't shut things off before we could get back to it.

Now: You can save pretty much everything at any point.

Then: Mom yelled at us to leave the computer, go outside, and get some exercise.

Now: They can work up a sweat while playing a game!

Then: We had to wait until someone took us to the store so we could buy a new game.

Now: They download the new game onto their console. Instant gratification.

Then: We had to blow on our game cartridges to make them work.

Now: What's a cartridge?

Then: We had to actually figure out how a game worked ourselves, or shell out for the book.

Now: Free cheat codes are available online.

Then: If you bought something you hated, you still had to play it because you'd spent all that money.

Now: Used games are cheap, and they can trade in your games for credit toward something new.

Then: We had gaming systems for, well, gaming.

Now: They play games. They watch movies. They chat with their friends. All on one little box.